Welcome Back
by oitnbforever
Summary: Alex Vause returns to prison in Litchfield after violating her probation, and faces her struggles with Piper Chapman and other inmates. (Season 3)
1. Chapter 1

CH 1

Alex Vause was only human. She didn't always do the right thing, but that didn't mean she didn't know right from wrong. She _knew_ it was wrong to work for an international drug cartel. She _knew _it wasn't very nice to lie to her ex-lover Piper Chapman about giving up her name as a suspect to officials. But Alex was snide and street smart. She wasn't all that into feelings, with most people. She was good at what she did, before she got arrested for it. And she was good at loving Piper, too, except only when the two were alone. Her high-level drug operations usually took precedence over giving Piper attention, in the pre-prison days. Alex was actually the first one to say I love you. "You have to say it back," she said to Piper. "I love you too." Except there was the time when Alex's girlfriend at the time came home to find Piper in her bed. "It's complicated," Alex assured Piper. But Piper was hurt then like the many other times she had been. Alex loved Piper, but Alex loved her risky heroin-importer life just as much. Like she said before, "heroin was the best girlfriend she ever had." The drug was reliable, always there - unlike Alex to Piper.

After that one shaky visit with Piper at prison, Alex had decided she needed to skip town. Except right before she was ready to leave her shady Queens apartment, her probation officer saw her with a gun. One stupid mistake, and Alex was heading back to doing laundry with Pennsatucky and wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Alex assumed she'd be sent to the same prison. Probation violations typically landed criminals right to the closest jailhouse. When she first saw her probation officer at her apartment door, gun in her hand, she knew she was fucked. "Shit," she whispered in defeat. On her trip to prison after her hearing, sitting in the backseat of a cop car, her mind flooded with thoughts. On one hand she was definitely worried about how things would go with her inmates. How things would go with Piper. But on top of all the anxiety was a cloud of hopelessness and exhaustion powerful enough to balance Alex's anxiety about whatever was to come. _Prison is supposed to be the lowest you can get_, she thought. _So who really cares. It'll work out some way._

Orientation brought Alex some familiar faces. Lorna Morello, with her bright red lips and mascaraed eyes, drove Alex and some other newbies to the cell house. But Alex wasn't a newbie. She knew how this went. "Vause. Welcome back," Morello said, the bumpy road jumbling her speech a little. "Hi Morello. Hey, have those starter kits?" "Hold your horses. I'll give you all brushes and toothpaste when we arrive." Alex wasn't getting any special treatment from anyone. She realized fully now, that she'd have to start new with each inmate she would care to speak to - she had left, fucked up with Piper, and now she practically _was_ new.

Alex had gotten through the day with minimal hassle, excluding the small altercation with Jesus-lover Pennsatucky who raged that Alex was a "slit licking, good-for-nothing rich bitch." Alex was especially thankful that she hadn't ran into Piper yet. She was in a dorm with Big Boo, whom she didn't mind - it could be a lot worse. Alex laid in bed at 8:00. She knew she wouldn't be getting much rest but had nothing better to do, and knew tomorrow she would have to face a hell of a lot of interaction.


	2. Chapter 2

CH 2

The inmates filled the cafeteria. The Hispanics still took charge of the kitchen, and Red was sitting over with the elderly women eating her breakfast. Alex arrived quickly and took an empty table. She decided to look down and eat, asking for no trouble and giving no trouble. In prison, even a look could change an inmate's fate. Alex knew it all too well. She could still feel the suffocation of being stuck in a dryer. She could still feel the shock she received when Healy threatened to lock her in the SHU along with Piper. She still remembered the trouble she had getting a pair of working glasses after she found her old ones snapped in half when she exited the showers. Alex just looked down and ate, sick of the routine without having even completed a single 24-hour cycle of it.

She didn't know whether to expect someone she knew to sit down with her. A part of her was really hoping that Piper would, but she knew that could go either way. Maybe Piper was frustrated that Alex was ready to flee Queens, had she not gotten locked up again. Maybe she would be too curious about why Alex was there to resist the seat across from her. Or maybe Nicky Nichols would come over to torment Alex, or be Alex's friend for the moment - no matter how caring, she was changing sides all the time, that one. Or maybe Alex would get another lovely attack from Tiffany Doggett. Her mind flooded. She finished her food. No one showed up to talk to her, torment her, or give her a smile. She decided to look around towards the end of her lunch. Piper wasn't even in sight.

Healy assigned Alex right to laundry. The two walked the halls. "I've got a shortage and it seems like none of the women here care to wash or fold laundry. I had Gonzales on laundry duty. Didn't know how to turn the damn washers on."

"Well, sir, I guess I'm your girl then."

"Don't disappoint me, Vause. Welcome back," Healy remarked sluggishly.

"I won't."


	3. Chapter 3

CH 3

Alex sat behind the laundry counter. Traffic was low. Piper Chapman was heading to the counter carrying her shirt, her head down, exclaiming, "Doggett, do you really have to fuck up my clothes? I thought you were done with this bullshit since you started talking to Healy!?" She looked up. Doggett's stringy hair and fresh set of teeth were replaced with a familiar face; long dark curls, extreme eyebrows, tattoos, bold glasses, a smirk. Piper was speechless. Alex opened her mouth slightly, feeling surprise and relief at the sight of her best friend, but hesitating to say or do anything, careful, letting Piper choose where their relationship was. Piper dropped her shirt and even started to weep. "Alex?" Piper ran to Alex and hugged her over the counter. They hadn't seen each other for just weeks, but the shock of seeing each other was so great for Piper, who didn't think she'd see Alex for years, if ever. Alex held to Piper tightly: happy to feel her warmth and current acceptance, and feeling vulnerable and needing her ex-girlfriend's arms, without disclosing it - as always. "Pipes," she whispered, tears rolling down her eyes. The hug lasted for moments.

"Alex, what are you doing here?"

"My douche landlord showed my fucking probation officer to my apartment. Had a gun in my hand."

"What? That's crazy? Do you always bring a gun to your door? Just casual?"

"I told you, I'm in danger. Or, was. Now I'm back here in this hell hole. Anyways, it was a shady place. There was a slam on my door."

"Well hey, here you can still get yourself into danger if you ask for it," Piper said, keeping the mood light.

Piper continued. "How long do you have?"

"Eight months."

"Eight? For a gun?"

"They decided I could make up the probation time I had left, here. I wasn't too nice with the judge. Probably made things worse."

"You just missed me."

Alex smiled. "I didn't piss off the judge so I could be here for longer. But yes, I did miss you. I've always missed you."

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"You were really going to leave?"

"Had my bags packed."

Piper looked down.

"Pipes, you needed me. But I needed to go. I know you can't see it that way, but you have to trust me when I say that I was in serious danger. I had to leave."

"Trusting you isn't always reliable. I've learned _that_."

"What do you want, Pipes? I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry that I'm not a perfect woman, or a perfect girlfriend, but we're in prison. You don't really find many gem gals around here. But I love you. Maybe I don't have a perfect track record. But in the long run, I've always come back. I've always loved you."

"You _were _my girlfriend. You are not my girlfriend. 'Have always come back'? Yes Alex, you really 'came back to me' when you got me stuck in prison and came here yourself, too. Real romantic."

"Romantic? You want romantic? You don't want romantic, Pipes. You're not going to get romantic. And besides, the last time I saw you before we met in prison was the moment I told you my mother died. The moment _you_ left _me_."

The two paused, knowing the bickering wouldn't lead anywhere. And knowing they could use each other. Piper calmed down.

"So you were going to start importing again?"

Alex looked to Piper with wide, honest eyes. "It's what I'm good at."

Piper took the high road. "That, you are. "

She kept going, still in a sort of disbelief that this incredible, frustrating girl was standing in front of he once again. Maybe she would always come back. "Alex?"

"What?"

"I love you."

The two stared at each other.

"Alex. You have to say it back."

Alex smiled. "I love you."

Piper added, "I'm glad you're here. Even if that sounds selfish and fucked up. I'm glad I have someone."

"Give me that shirt. I'll see if I can undo Pennsatucky's work."

Piper picked up the ratted shirt and handed it to Alex. She turned to go.

"Hey Pipes," Alex stopped her. "I'm glad too."


	4. Chapter 4

CH 4

Alex wanted to fuck Piper. There was really no elegant way to put it - she was back in prison, knew she had a while in there, and was relieved that she was on a good page with her flame. Today all she wanted was a break from the worry, a break from the boredom, a break from the stress: she wanted sex. She realized it was prison; her and Piper couldn't have guaranteed privacy in many places, and they sure as hell didn't have any fancy king mattress around like in her old lavish apartment that her drug smuggling allowed her. But a chapel would do, wouldn't it? Alex wanted Piper. Alex wanted Piper to want Alex, and prayed she would accept the idea. Besides, Piper loved their sex, always did. "It's like I'm just discovering what sex really is," Piper spilled to her best friend Polly, ten years previous, when her and Alex were at it constantly (provided that Alex wasn't away or on a business call).

Alex was on her way to laundry duty and made a quick stop by Piper's dorm. "Pipes, can you meet me at the chapel later? I want to talk to you." "Yeah, sure. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. I just want to talk. There's a lot to talk about since I've been out of here, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Okay. I get off electric at 7:00?"

"Alright."

Alex waited a whole long day for 7:00. She did laundry, laid in her bunk, played cards with Morello, and ate. Then waited some more. Finally, the time came. A miracle.

Alex snook her way to the chapel. She realized she was ten minutes early, but that was fine. All the inmates were used to dealing with the slow-passing time. She laid behind the altar and waited for the sound of a squeaking door. The moments passed, Alex thinking about Piper, and all of their history. _I'm lucky_, she realized. _I'm lucky that after everything, at least I still have her. At least we're together somewhere._

Piper showed, silently. The door never squeaked. She turned the corner behind the altar and sat next to Alex. She scooched up close to her and instantly locked her lips with Alex. A firm yet soft embrace. Perfect. Alex cupped Piper's face delicately and broke the kiss. Sex wasn't her first priority anymore; setting things straight was.

"Pipes"

"What? I figured this was why we're here."

"Well, it was. It is. But Pipes, I want you to know something."

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was never what you deserved. I want to make it up to you in whatever way you want. Whatever it means for us, here"

"If you feel like you have to make anything up to me right now, do it by shutting up. It's okay right now."

Piper was seemingly just as horny as Alex had been all day. The two kissed, and Piper shoved Alex down onto her back. "I missed your chest," Piper said.

Piper trailed kisses down Alex's stomach and took off her bright orange pants. With every lick, Alex breathed deeper. Moaning and squirming under Piper's touch, she was in heaven. Again, and again, and again. Maybe she was even glad to be back in prison.


	5. Chapter 5

CH 5

Piper and Alex spent a good half an hour in the chapel. They both had the free time to spare for once. They laid together, staring up at the religious statues.

"It's like they're staring," said Piper.

"Scared? Jesus Christ just watched you come four times."

Piper smirked.

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"So, your probation officer was just checking in with you when you had the gun?"

"Pipes, come on, just let it fucking go. Yeah, I'm assuming he was checking up on me. When he saw the gun he just wrote me up and that was it."

"But he didn't say anything to you?"

"He did say 'real nice job, Vause'. Why? What, do you think I did something else screwy that he was coming to get me for? I didn't get into any trouble that quickly, Pipes."

"No, just wondering. Alex?"

"What?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."


	6. Chapter 6

CH 6

Morello, Nichols, Alex and Chapman sat in the cafeteria.

"Is it just me or is there bad energy coming from the kitchen?" Alex said.

"We're in a prison, whataya expect, you know?" Morello chimed in.

"No, I mean they're all eyeing Red across the cafeteria."

Nicky sighed. "Yeah, that shit's getting worse. Real drama since you were here last."

"Sorry I missed it," Alex responded sarcastically.

Piper seemed unusually quiet.

"Hey Piper, is the jello shortage bringing you down?" Nichols said.

"No. I'm fine."

After lunch, Alex wanted to walk with Piper and see how she was. But she had laundry duty immediately, and Bennett and Healy were eyeing her carefully. She headed straight to work. Besides, she expected Piper to show up - she would usually bring her laundry down during Alex's midday shift, months before.

Piper never showed. Pennsatucky was tough to deal with during Alex's shift; when she was heading back to her dorm she couldn't even keep count on her hands how many insults she'd received from the Christian worshipper.

Alex stopped by Piper's dorm that night.

"Hey Pipes, can I sit down for a minute?"

"Uh, sure. Red, could you give us just a minute?"

Red had always been a good dorm mate to Piper. She looked up from her book. "Of course."

As she headed out, she added, "welcome back, Alex."

Alex gave Red a smile and a nod and sat next to Piper.

"Pipes, what's up with you?"

Piper looked down. Alex knew there was something.

"Piper. Tell me what it is."

"Alex, I did something."

"What?"

As smart as she was, Alex had no idea it was coming.

"I told your probation officer to go to your apartment."

Alex could barely process it. Piper looked like she knew she was in for a yelling match now.

"You what?"

"After you told me you had a gun, I called Polly and told her to call him. That's why he came to your apartment."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Well, actually I asked Larry to do it. But he wasn't quite as willing."

"Jesus, well Larry is turning out to be a good guy here, maybe I should go fucking be with him," Alex snapped.

"You should. He's good at leaving women, I'm sure he'd leave Polly for you."

"Piper. How could you sell me out like that?"

"You _told _me to lie in court. So I did. You _coached _me through what to say, exactly. And then you told the judge you had met the guy. Why. Why, Alex?"

"Piper. It got complicated and I had to tell them the truth. I would've went away for a long time. A long, long time."

"It 'got complicated.' Do you know how many times you've said that to me, in our relationship? Sylvie. The drugs. Now this."

"We're past Sylvie. We're past the drugs. Piper. You sold me out to get even."

"Like you did eight months ago."

The two sat. The two looked forward, both thinking the same thing they did recently: _the bickering won't get us anywhere._

"Look, whatever Piper."

Alex left in defeat. Piper felt badly deep down, but was satisfied with Alex's response - maybe time was all she would need, just like Piper did upon finding out Alex gave up her name the year before.

"Nice chat," Red stated, cozying up back on her bed.

"Yeah, Red." Piper didn't have a better response.


End file.
